To Be Forgotten Is Worse Than Death - Part One
by Satan's Angel
Summary: This is the first part of my 'Forever Yours, With Love' series. Please read and review. I like reviews. This is one of my first fanfics as I usually wrte originals, so please tell me what you think.


1.1.1.1 Final Fantasy IX: Forever Yours, With Love  
  
1.1.1.2 Chapter One - To Be Forgotten Is Worse Than Death - A Final Fantasy 9 FanFic  
  
1.1.2 Satan's Angel  
  
DISCLAIMER: Again, you read this. I know how much of a waist this is, but just think, even if you don't read it, it looks like I'm good and wrote a shitload more than I actually did! Ahahaha, ahaha, ah... no. I was only joking. You know I was joking, right? Of course! You seem to be smart people. Ya know I'm just trying to make this bit a little more bearable for you; the reader, and me; the writer. These parts are not a very nice thing to do, but you know what they say... SHIT HAPPENS. Well, that's my motto, along with a few more, but then we could be here all day, listing off a lot of the words I say regularly. But anyway, back to the disclaimer part. None of the characters from Final Fantasy 9 blahblahblah belong to mwah (as in myself, me), blahblah except for the young person who goes by the name of Darla, she is mwan-ine (as in mwah with mine), as is Kye... And Casey… And any other characters you fail to recognise. And no one can take that away from me! Unless you have a story similar... If you do, I didn't copy, I just had an idea inside of my pretty little head and other people have probably used it before me. BooHoo. Oh well, I'm over it (Another of my regular quotes… And yes, I know that I spelt 'moi' wrong… but puuyuu if you can't take it). Oh, by the way, I'd like to take this chance to thank my sponsors, the Maggi 2 Minute Noodles factory staff. You guys are the greatest! (BTW- If anyone from Maggi is reading… I'm sending out a big, warm, fuzzy HI to you all!!!)  
  
I know that this is Freya's quote and the main storyline has nothing to do with her, but I assure you Freya fans that she does have a part.  
  
Now, you may read my story now, as I will take up no more of you time on this waist of space. Enjoy while you can...  
  
Satan's Angel  
  
  
  
1.1.2.1 Part One - Freedom Is The Price I'm Willing To Pay  
  
Prologue: Do They Really Love Me?  
  
*An eerie glow surrounds the being as it stands in the presence of the Iifa Tree. A large fog hangs over the tree and the sky. The Mist of the Land. Though said to be vanquished long ago, the tree has began creating the mists again, proving all that nothing is dead forever…*  
  
*The raging sea throws the small vessel from wave to wave, making the occupants hang on for dear life. A mother and daughter hold to the hope that in the morning, the storm will have pass and they will be alive…*  
  
*A sigh rose from the young princess as the performers began the production of 'I Want To Be Your Canary'. She had read the story many times, and usually loved watching the performances, but a depression had fallen over her mind that night. 'When can I be free?' she asked herself…*  
  
  
  
She rose gently from her dreams to reality. She was slouching in a dark oak chair side on to an open window. She slowly opened her eyes, and looked up at her surroundings.  
  
'I must have dosed off' she thought to herself as her eyes drifted off the walls of the large room, which was richly furnished, and all in all, very exquisite. She rose from her chair, smoothed out her long silvery white gown, straightened her silver head ornament, ran her fingers through her long, dark hair and walked toward the window. She rubbed her eyes daintily; half from sleep, half from the soft light that was washing into the room. The curtains flew faintly as a gentle sea breeze fell against her face and a touch of saltiness fell on her lips. The sweet call of birds could be heard from outside, but the tiny creatures where nowhere to be found. She pushed aside the delicate lace curtains and looked out over Alexandria. It was a nice day and the market place was full of people preparing for a large event.  
  
A small flock of doves flew past her window and she was momentarily distracted from the hectic natures of the usually subtle people.  
  
She lent on the sill, humming her mother's song to herself, trying to remember what had been said the night before, when a large airship floated over the town centre and into the dock. She closed her eyes and sighed.  
  
…Tantalus…  
  
She remembered.  
  
They had left not so long ago, yet they had left so many times, that she had grown accustomed to their absence. They had gone on an adventure without her. Again.  
  
For a slight moment, an overpowering flow of bitterness flew through her, taking her by surprise. 'No' she told herself strictly, 'I cannot let their absences wound me. Even if they are having a fantastic time and I am not.'  
  
Her parents where home again and Alexandria was celebrating the return of their King and Queen, yet she did not share their joy. In fact, she almost despised it...  
  
  
  
Chapter One: Thoughts Of Drifting Away Into The Night  
  
Confetti and streamers were floating everywhere and balloons of every colour, shape and size rose up toward the heavens. The crowds cheered loudly as their King and Queen stepped off the sip and onto Alexandrian soil again. Garnet or 'Dagger' as she liked to be called, was wearing her usual travel clothes consisting of a pair of yellow overalls and a white shirt. Zidane, Alexandria's king, was also wearing his usual clothes – blue pants, a blue waistcoat type top with a white shirt underneath.  
  
They looked at their people and as they waved, a large cheer sounded from the people. The castle doors opened and the crowd parted as a group of people came out to greet their friends. At the front of the group were the captains of the castle guards, Captains Betrix and Steiner. Behind came a small group of people including Master Vivi, their Majesties long time friend, Eiko Carol, a large man by the name of Amarant and two children.  
  
Trumpets blew and the crowd let out a thunderous cheer. Suddenly breaking through the group, a small boy ran forward, dragging a taller girl behind. When the two children were about ten metres away, the boy let go of the girl's hand and dived through the confetti and streamers into his father's arms. Zidane picked him up and swung him over his head, making the boy laugh and cheer. He placed the boy gently on the ground and looked at the girl as the small boy ran to his mother.  
  
2 'Just smile' she told herself, 'They're your parents and they're only looking out for you by not letting you go with them.' She began giving herself a good telling off as she ran into her father's arms. As he held her she kept reminding herself to smile. 'Keep smiling and be grateful that they made it back safely. Remember that time when Father came home wounded terribly?' she shocked herself at the memory. Zidane had made it home, but just. He was cut up badly from a fight with a large flying creature, much like a dragon. It had flown in from over the seas and decided to try and feast upon him for lunch. She shivered at the memory.  
  
3 "What?" Zidane asked, looking a little worried.  
  
"Nothing. Just a cold breeze." She showed him a reassuring smile, just to prove it.  
  
He smiled at her warmly, "Then come on, let's go inside and eat. I'm starving!" Zidane jumped forward two steps, turned around and waved at his family. "Come on already!"  
  
"Ok, Ok, hang on! We're coming!" Garnet yelled, running after him with her son hot on her heels.  
  
3.1 'Just smile. Be grateful that they're safe." She forced a smile to her lips and ran after her dad.  
  
  
  
Chapter Two: When You Need Time To Think  
  
It was about one thirty in the morning before she snuck away from her mothers captivating stories and her father's erratic tales with wild hand movements and him jumping from the table to the ground and to the other side of the room as if he was reliving it. Just thinking about the fun they must have was overpowering, even though when she began asking too many questions absentmindedly, they reminded her harshly about how dangerous it was and that she wouldn't enjoy it. That hit hard and she didn't say a word from then on. 'How could they know what I'd like or not? They're never here to get to know me well enough!" she thought sadly as closed the large oak door to her room. She slipped out of her gown and into her nightdress and sighed as she went over to close the window.  
  
She lent on the windowsill to think for a while. When she had been talking with Eiko earlier, she had said what nice, understanding, caring people they were.  
  
What happened? Was it something she did?  
  
She put her hands on the sill looked over the edge of her window and out into the city. 'How I wish I could just be a normal person. A normal person without a title, without responsibilities and without people to keep reminding me of them every single second of every day. Why was I born into this life? I mean, I am grateful for everything I have, but I don't think I fit in here. Why does Kye fit in so well? He's always happy, but then again, I was too at that age. Before I started to think for myself.' She was always getting compared with her little brother, much to her disappointment. It annoyed her and made her feel inferior. But it wasn't her parents who did that; it was never them. While they where around, they always treated her like an adult. They never raised their voices, they never told her what to do… and they NEVER compared her to Kye. No, it was everyone else, when her parent weren't around, and sometimes, even when they were.  
  
She lent on her elbows, put her head in her hands and sighed. She began to hum the song that had been taught to her so long ago. 'It's funny, but I feel I knew this song long before this.' She shrugged off the thought and looked at the lights over Alexandria. She stood there for about an hour, before a knock at her door woke her from her thoughts. She raised her head and walked toward the door. When she reached it she stopped still and listened for who it was. All she could hear was frightened panting. She opened the door a fraction and a boy of about eleven burst in and slammed the door shut, locking it from the inside. He stood there with his back against the door, with a look of terror on his face. His dark hair was plastered to his face with sweat and his blue-green eyes were filled with panic. He was tall for his age, almost taller than his sixteen-year old sister. The only thing that were similar about the two was that they both had dark hair. Apart from that, they looked like two completely different people. Kye was a chunky sort of boy, while Darla looked more fragile and petite. Kye was a bit slow when it came to schoolwork (and insults in arguments) whereas Darla was razor sharp. The two got along sometimes, but not all the time. This was not one of those times. Darla was not impressed. She was not in the mood for fun and games or his stupid little tricks. Standing there with hands on hips and a look that could kill, she asked, "What. Do. You. Want?"  
  
  
  
Chapter Three: Sometimes You're Not Alone  
  
"Darla. I saw someone..." He stopped. Darla rolled her eyes, and he began again after realising how lame that had sounded. "I mean, it was a man, someone who I don't know. He doesn't work here, because he wasn't wearing the right clothes. I didn't even hear him come in, and I was awake! I was mucking around with the window, because you know how hard it is to close mine."  
  
She did too. It took herself, him, Steiner and Betrix to close it one time. After that, he just jammed it into place.  
  
"And he just stood there looking at me. I saw his reflection in the window and turned around. He had an anxious smile but that was all I could see, because it was dark. He asked me what my name was, but I didn't tell him. And then he asked what my sister's name was, but I told him that I didn't have a sister, but he knew that I did, but I still didn't tell him. Then he made some sort of fire in his hands, kind of like mother does sometimes, and it lit up the whole room and I saw his entire face. He looked kind of familiar, but I don't know him because I would've remembered eyes like his. They were very, very, very blue, ice-like even. Kind of like..." He stopped and looked at Darla, "Kind of like yours, only your don't have the coldness to them. His looked like evil, sad ice; yours look like kind ice."  
  
Darla smiled slightly. 'Kye doesn't compliment much, and even when he does it can be taken as an insult, but that was kind of nice… I think.' She thought to herself.  
  
"Anyway, he had those eyes and he was tall and he had white skin and greyish brown hair. His eyes looked similar to yours and Father's, but not really the same."  
  
"Did he say 'Boo'?" She asked. She had suddenly become tired and annoyed.  
  
"Darla! Can you for once take me seriously?"  
  
"Come on, Kye," She replied, "You know how noisy it is to close that window! He could've just come in and you might not have heard him."  
  
"Then how do you explain the fire in his hands?" He questioned. He had looked terrified before, but now, he was ready for a fight.  
  
"He's probably just a magician or something looking for someone." She retorted. She suddenly realised how tired she really was, and Kye was annoying her to her limit.  
  
"Yeah, that someone he was looking for was you! Anyway, how could he get in when I had locked the door from the inside? Huh? Answer that one smarty pants!"  
  
She couldn't, so she didn't even try. He could be so annoying at times. She sighed and looked down.  
  
'Can't he just go to bed and leave me alone?!' She thought to herself.  
  
"I don't know, OK Kye? You win. I don't really care at this present hour." She looked at the old wooden clock on the wall. It was already two thirty in the morning. "Look we shall talk about all this in the morning. But for now, go to bed, I beg you."  
  
She looked up at him. He was staring over her head at something. He looked terrified, but she wasn't going to fall for it. She was just about to say what a lame trick it was, when she heard someone else behind her. She felt deep breathing down her neck and she knew by the look in Kye's eyes, that this time it wasn't a joke.  
  
"Kye," she said softly. His eyes moved to her. She indicated discreetly to get out the door. "Look, I'll take you back to your room." She stepped forward, but the person behind her stepped forward in unison. She moved forward two more paces, but so did the person.  
  
This went on, with Darla taking one step, then the person behind her copying. Suddenly the paces behind sped up. Kye turned and fled, with his sister close behind. He got to the door and slammed it in her face. She ran full pelt into it, and slammed her fists on it.  
  
"You little freak!" she whispered, "If I get out of this alive, I swear you will pay." She had picked up the 'freak' thing from her father. The lock clicked across, without her even touching it. 'It must have been the person behind me.' She was scared witless but she had to put on a brave front.  
  
Straightening and composing herself took a lot out of her. She turned around to see a man that looked remarkably like the man Kye had described. His blue eyes stared into hers, as if challenging her. She blinked as if she was bored, just show how brave she was that she could be bored with this creepy guy in her room. It took her a few moments for her to realise that he was smiling at her. Not evilly, but anxiously. It took her by surprise and it took her a moment to calm herself again.  
  
"Princess…" He said in a deep, dark voice.  
  
"I am sorry, but you have the wrong person. The Princess resides just down the hall." It didn't sound to convincing, because her voice was shaking, but she prayed it would do the trick.  
  
"Princess. Listen carefully. The castle is about to be attacked by a indescribably strong force. You must warn your father and evacuated the castle… Now."  
  
"Why, should I believe someone who has sneaked into my room late at night?"  
  
"Make haste child. Believe me. Do I look like I would lie to you?"  
  
She looked deep into his eyes, and what she saw was truth. It surprised her. She was thinking the matter over when the door slammed open and Steiner and Zidane burst into the room.  
  
"Kuja!" Zidane exclaimed. Darla looked at her father, then back to where the man had been standing.  
  
He was gone.  
  
  
  
Chapter Four: Trust Me When I Say  
  
"But Father!" she exclaimed, "He said that the attack would be soon! Now even! He wasn't lying Father. Why don't you believe me?" She had been trying for at least twenty minutes to convince her father that the castle was in grave danger, with no prevail. He was being a stubborn fool and she had to make him see. She just had to!  
  
"Now, Darla," he began, using a tone of voice that made her feel like a child, "You shouldn't worry. If there is an attack, the lookouts will see it before they see us, and we will attack. So for now, go to bed and get some sleep. You'll see, there's nothing to worry abo…" he was cut off by a large scream from something not human and a hole suddenly appeared for no apparent reason in the wall.  
  
"What did I tell you, huh!?" she screamed at him as he gathered his family toward him, but Darla was in no mood. There where people running all over the place, shouting to get swords and cannons and attack the flying creatures that had swarmed the palace. Blazes of magic flew past her and she turned to look at the creature that was near but it fell promptly as Vivi, the Master of Magic in Alexandria, threw a fire ball in it's general direction, hitting it in the stomach. I disappeared, so she ran to her room and grabbed a dark purple drawstring bag made of velvet and began throwing things into it. 'This is happening too quickly,' she said to herself. She was acting on instincts she never knew she had. She firstly put all the money she had in there, followed by her 'Falcon Claw' necklace and various other precious items that she could not part with. She then ran to her wardrobe and threw warm clothes in. It was the middle of winter and a fresh layer of snow had fallen only a few hours ago. Last of all, she grabbed the belt that held her hunting daggers that she had bought while she was shopping in the marketplace.  
  
She had gotten them a few years ago when she had escaped for Steiner's eyes. She thought it wasn't fair that she shouldn't have a weapon and Kye did, and was getting trained to use it. She wasn't sure at the time if he was getting trained, but she had a feeling that he was. It's not like she was jealous, although she was a little, but she didn't like to have to depend on other people fighting her battles; people always did when they went into the markets. If she got into an argument, Steiner would make them back off and he'd blame them when it was she who had started the fight. That annoyed her greatly.  
  
So anyway, she went into the weapons shop and asked the keeper (In the slang her father always spoke in, of course!) what weapon would suit her best. She had tried various, but had found that she could move quicker and hit harder with the hunting knives, or daggers. He gave her a set of eight that sat in a leather belt made of leather that fit around her waist. She had been practicing and picking up tips by asking drunken palace guards. She couldn't have asked them outright, for they would have told her father, and this way they didn't know what they were saying and they wouldn't remember telling her anything. She was very good at attacking with them now, she could pull them out and hit very quickly and very fatally. Her mother had also taught her some magic spells, in case she ever needed to defend herself. She shut the door over (although she was sure no one really wanted to look at her at this moment in time) and slipped out of her white nightgown and into a pair of denim pants and a white short-sleeved shirt. She threw a long fur coat over the top of the shirt and pulled on a pair of warm boots. She then took three ribbons from a box and platted her hair, with one ribbon in each strand. She had done this many times before, so it took her less than a minute. Pretty fast, considering how long her hair was. When she got to the end, she expertly tied the ribbon so her hair wouldn't fall out of place. She grabbed her bag and pelted out of her room and into her father.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" He asked, gesturing to her outfit.  
  
"If you were smart, you'd do the same. We can't stay here. Kuja said…"  
  
"Kuja is dead! He was never here!" Zidane yelled, shocking her. He had never yelled at her before. The shocked look only lasted for a split second, but he still noticed it. She was actually glad he had yelled at her. It showed that he still thought of her as a human being who needed discipline. He continued in his normal voice, though slightly yelling above the sound of screams and fighting, "We have to fight for this castle and you must go with Steiner to a place where you can be safe." Steiner heard his name and came over promptly. "Steiner, take her somewhere safe. Protect her with your life." He saluted, and Zidane ran to join the fight.  
  
"What about Kye?" She asked looking at her little brother, who was standing with her father, smiling viciously, sword ready… Then it hit her. He was staying. She had to go and he got to stay! Rage filled her eyes as Steiner grabbed her arm and dragged her down the stairs. She was about to turn and scream in protest, when one of giant creatures flew down and landed in front of them. Steiner drew his sword and announced that her would kill this creature, when the thing hit him in the side of the head, rendering him unconscious.  
  
"Uhhh…" Steiner moaned as he slipped to the ground.  
  
The demon bird looked at him with glee (If that's possible) and then turned to go, when he caught a glimpse of Darla. It reared up, let out a large scream and flew straight at her.  
  
"OK… Calm down. Just do what you've been practicing." She whispered to herself. She calmed down immediately and drew two of her knives. She picked the ones that looked like ceremonial knives. There were two fin-like pieces coming out from the top and following the blade three quarters of the way down, so that once they go in, they make a big hole coming out. There was no metal in the middle, kind of like an out line, but they were as sturdy as anything. She held them so that if she held out her arms, the blades would point to the ground. One of Steiner's guards had told her that that was the most efficient way to attack.  
  
She moved into a striking pose and ducked right down as the bird flew over her head. Just as it's head passed hers, she twisted and came up in a deadly uppercut, slicing its neck and belly. The creature fell to the ground with a moan and disappeared.  
  
She stood up and took a deep breath. As she was standing there a demon bird fell over the balcony and landed ten metres in front of her before disappearing.  
  
"I have to get out of here" she told herself. She ducked behind a pillar under the balcony and quickly cleaned the blood off her knives. 'Always keep them in mint condition, and they will never fail you. Treat them as you would treat yourself…' she heard the shopkeeper say in her head. She quickly wiped them and slid them back into their positions in the belt. There were many more creatures around now, so she had to hurry. Suddenly a little voice inside her head talked to her. 'What about you family, your friends, the ones you love?' It questioned, 'What if they need your help?' She shook the thought from her. She knew that they were strong and that they could take care of themselves. 'Maybe you should just lay low here and wait for it to end?' it asked.  
  
No.  
  
She'd had enough of laying low. She was going to get out of here if it was that last thing she did, "Though it might well be…" she worried.  
  
She sprinted over to the other side of the room and through the door. When she was through, she looked back at what she was leaving. He family were all there fighting to save their home. Vivi and Eiko were also fighting, and protecting the weak. Steiner was laying in a heap on the floor, with Beatrix looking over him. She felt rotten, but it's not like they would let her help anyway. She was the little, fragile princess who was destined to be queen. Maybe she didn't want that. No one cared to ask her though.  
  
Beatrix was also looking frantically around for something else. Or someone. She was looking for Darla. 'Time to go,' Darla thought. 'I can't let her catch me.' She switched to the slang that she had picked up as a small child, 'I wanna be free…'  
  
Alexandria was waiting for her, and beyond that, the world. She ran out of the castle and into the night.  
  
3.1.1.1.1 ~2Bcont…~ 


End file.
